This Virtual Wound Academy (VWA) Course will provide a comprehensive overview of clinical vascular medicine for the Primary Care Physician and his/her office sfaff, with a particular focus on the lower extremity, assessment of PAD, including identifcation of acute and chronic Critical Limb Ischemia (CLI), ulcer identification and guidelines for treatment and referral to a wound and/or vascular specialist.

The goal is to continually update this information, based on new evidence-based research research information, and to make it conveniently accessible by topics. Formats for the courseware will include PowerPoint (.ppt) presentations, .pdf journal articles, clinical instructional videos, and animational videos demonstrating subcellular, cellular, physiological and clinical principles as they relate to understanding lower extremity vascular science.

Historically, it has been found that there is wide range of clinical evaluation for PAD techniques, often underdiagnosing Critical Limb Ischemia, and also misdiagnosing of lower extremity ulcer, for example, identifying an arterial ulcer or mixed arterio-venous ulcer as a pure venous ulcer. This might suggest daily dressing changes for the ulcer and compression stocking, when, in fact, the untreated, underlying PAD could progress, with infection, risk of sepsis and even risk of amputation.

The attempt here is provide information that can be seamlessly integrated into the Primary Care Physician's office patient management protocols, which will allow an optimal level of PAD and lower extremity ulcer screening, while respecting the time constraints in a busy office.